Netflix Announces THE DIBIASKY 550s – A One-Of-A-Kind Extra-Terrestrial Sneaker Made With 4.5-Billion-Year-Old Pallasite Meteorite
SOTHEBY’S DUE TO DROP THE £10,000 SNEAKERS AT 5PM (GMT) ON THE 17TH of DECEMBER WITH PROCEEDS GOING TO CONSERVATION EFFORTS
To celebrate the release of Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up, Netflix has announced a pair of custom sneakers that are literally out of this world, featuring stunning fragments of pallasite meteorite discovered in the dry bed of the river Hekandue - Magadan District, Russia (62°54’ N, 152°26’ E).
Only one pair of the custom Dibiasky 550s will ever exist, so the countdown is on for the sneaker community to claim a piece of sneaker history as third as old as time itself.
The ultra-rare extra-terrestrial sneakers will drop on Sothebys.com at 5pm GMT on 17th December 2021, available for immediate purchase via Sotheby’s online Buy Now platform. On offer for £10,000, proceeds will benefit WWF in a bid to reduce human impact on the environment.
The meteorite emblazoned sneakers were created in tribute to Jennifer Lawrence’s character Kate Dibiasky, an astronomy grad student, who alongside her professor Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) makes an astounding discovery of a comet that is on a direct collision course with Earth.
The Seymchan meteorite used to create the sneakers was born 4.5 billion years ago in the core of a comet or asteroid similar to Don’t Look Up’s fictional Dibiasky Comet. The sneaker’s meteorite fragments originated from the core-mantle boundary of an asteroid or comet that broke apart during early solar system history. Following pinball-like impacts, the large mass was serendipitously bumped into an Earth-crossing orbit.
Manchester-based sneaker designer Matt Burgess of MattB Customs created the sneakers using the coveted New Balance 550 silhouette and fragments of the Seymchan meteorite precisely cut using a high-pressure water jet. The fragments were cut to within a millimetre of Matt’s design to ensure the meteorite fits to the contours of the already rare New Balance 550 White / Grey sneaker.
The custom Dibiasky 550s comprise of 34 fragments featuring extra-terrestrial crystals of gleaming olivine and peridot, ranging in hues from emerald to amber. The crystals are the result of small chunks of the stony mantle becoming suspended in the molten metal of an asteroid’s iron-nickel core.
The Dibiasky 550s’ metallic lace locks feature latticework referred to as a Widmanstätten pattern, which is a result of the meteorite cooling over millions of years. The only place where this can happen is in the vacuum of space; the appearance of this pattern is diagnostic in the identification of a meteorite.
The Dibiasky 550s tongue panels also feature mathematical calculations captured from Dr Randall Mindy’s whiteboard in Don’t Look Up. Derived from Keplar Law, this mathematical process is still the basis of algorithms used to predict the current and future positions of comets. Johannes Kepler first proposed these rules in the early part of the seventeenth century.
Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s Head of Streetwear & Modern Collectables, commented "It's not every day we have the opportunity to offer a one-of-one pair of sneakers that technically date over four billion years old. At Sotheby’s, we’ve had the extraordinary pleasure to offer some of the most amazing and special sneakers ever created, but few can rival the uniqueness of this incredible pair. We look forward to bringing this incredible item to market.”
Matt Burgess of MattB Customs commented “This movie shines a light on science and its importance in contextualizing our place in the universe. When you touch a piece of rock that has been hurtling through space for a third of time itself, it’s hard not to be humbled by it. Creating this shoe was an experience that will stay with me forever.”
DON’T LOOK UP releases in select UK cinemas from December 10th and on Netflix from December 24th 2021.
The Dibiasky 550s will drop on Sothebys.com at 5PM GMT on 17th December 2021.
ABOUT DON’T LOOK UP
Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), an astronomy grad student, and her professor Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) make an astounding discovery of a comet orbiting within the solar system. The problem — it’s on a direct collision course with Earth. The other problem? No one really seems to care. Turns out warning mankind about a planet-killer the size of Mount Everest is an inconvenient fact to navigate. With the help of Dr. Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan), Kate and Randall embark on a media tour that takes them from the office of an indifferent President Orlean (Meryl Streep) and her sycophantic son and Chief of Staff, Jason (Jonah Hill), to the airwaves of The Daily Rip, an upbeat morning show hosted by Brie (Cate Blanchett) and Jack (Tyler Perry). With only six months until the comet makes impact, managing the 24-hour news cycle and gaining the attention of the social media obsessed public before it’s too late proves shockingly comical — what will it take to get the world to just look up?!
DON’T LOOK UP is written and directed by Academy Award winner Adam McKay (The Big Short).
Cast:
- Jennifer Lawrence (Kate Dibiasky)
- Leonardo DiCaprio (Dr. Randall Mindy)
- Meryl Streep (President Orlean)
- Rob Morgan (Dr. Oglethorpe)
- Jonah Hill (Jason Orlean)
- Cate Blanchett (Brie Evantee)
- Tyler Perry (Jack Bremmer)
- Mark Rylance (Peter Isherwell)
- Timothée Chalamet (Yule)
ABOUT NETFLIX
Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with 214 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.
ABOUT WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organisations. Our mission is to restore nature and tackle the main causes of nature’s decline, particularly the food system and climate change. We’re fighting for a world with thriving habitats and species, where it’s unacceptable to overuse our planet’s resources.
ABOUT SOTHEBY'S
Established in 1744, Sotheby's is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access, connoisseurship and preservation of fine art and rare objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 50 categories, which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Interiors, among many others.
No Comment